Sapphire Jewelry and Gemstones

04 May 2009 @ 04:11 pm EDT

The word “sapphire” was once used to describe a variety of blue gemstones including what is now known as Lapis-Lazuli. However, it is now commonly agreed that sapphire is a gem variety of corundum. Sapphire occurs naturally in a rainbow of colors aside from red. The red gem variety of corundum is referred to as “ruby.” The most significant deposits of sapphire are found in Australia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. There are also sizable deposits found in Brazil, Cambodia, China, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

Sapphire is one of the most durable gemstone varieties, measuring 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. This fact makes sapphire a very practical choice for jewelry which is worn on a daily basis. For this reason, sapphire is the most common colored gemstone found in bridal jewelry, specifically engagement rings.

Sapphires are commonly paired with diamonds, and are often set in white metals such as platinum and white gold. White metals tend to compliment the natural beauty of this gorgeous gemstone. As with all jewelry, it is best to have your sapphire jewelry examined and cleaned by a good jeweler on a semi-regular basis. The exact frequency will depend on a variety of factors such as your jewelry wearing habits, and your personal body chemistry. However, we suggest that you have your jewelry checked and cleaned once every few of years. You can easily clean your sapphire jewelry at home with a soft tooth brush and sudsy ammonia diluted in water. This is an effective way to combat dirt buildup on your sapphire stones. However, a good jeweler will have access to tools such as a steam machine and/or ultra-sonic cleaning equipment which will be more effective at removing dirt and grime in hard to access areas of your jewelry.

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Sapphire Jewelry and Gemstones

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